Vacuum condensation pump



1932- A. c. DURDIN, JR

VACUUM CONDENSATION PUMP Filed April 29, 1931 1727/3/2 for:

Patented Dec. 6, 1932 'aueusrnsonunnrmm, or CHICAGO, rnnrnors I .VACUUM connnnsn'rion PUMP- Application filed April 29,

This invention relates to vacuum condensation pumps and 1s 1n the nature of an 1mprovement on the vacuum condensation pump 7 shown and described in my former Patent No. 1,775,425, dated September 9, 1930.

' The present invention has been designed particularly for use in steam heating plants, although its use is not limited thereto, and-it is arranged to be connected withthe returns 10 of the plant and operates'to separate air and other non-condensable gases from the water of condensation and return the water back to the boiler or other place. Itis well known that considerable vapor is returned with the water of condensation, which vapor usually occupies the upper portion of thereceiver or collection tank, and one of the objects of the presentinvention is to mix the vapors with the water of condensation, whereby the vapors will be condensed, thereby causing a partial Vacuum in addition to the vacuum produced by the vacuum pump itself.

In the apparatus of my prior patent, above referred to, a water pipe and an air plpe were, employed between the receiver and the vacuum chamber of the pump, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a single conduit through which both the wa- I ter of condensation and the vapors as well as the air and other non-conden'sable gases may be withdrawn from thezreceilver. .Another object is to provide automatically acting means in a vacuum condensation pump of the present type, whereby in case the water enters the vacuum chamberfaster than the water pump can discharge it therefrom, the water inlet to the conduit between'the receiver and vacuum chamber will be-temporarily or partially closed to'enable the water' pump to discharge :the water from the vacuum chamber substantially as fast as it enters the'same. Under such circumstances, the vacuum pump is relieved of its work until the flow of water through the vacuum chamber is not faster than the water pump 1s capable of discharging it therefrom. v

\Vith these and other objects and advantages in View, this invention consists in the several novel features. of construction, ar-

1:s1. Serial No. 533,755.

rangement and combination of parts ,herein- 7 after fully set forth'and claimed, a y

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification in h which the figurejis a view, partly in side ele Q vation and partly;-in. vertical longitudinal section, of a vacuum condensation pump illustrating the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. a v 1;, 3

Referring to said-drawing, the reference 41 character 1 designates a'receiveroricollection tank having an inlet opening 2 adaptedto be 7 connected with the returns ofa steam heat ingplant. -As is well understood,-water of condensation, vapor, air and other non-condensable gases flow into thereceiver and collect therein, the water filling the lower part of the receiver, and the vapors, air and other non-condensable gases collecting above the a I water. v l-9, Usually the receiver is provided with a float switch (not shown) jfor starting the pump motor when the Waterin the receiver rises above a predetermined level, andjit' is also usually provided with a pressure switch 1, (not-shown) for starting the pumpmotorfin case the vacuum in the receiver falls below the requiredone. These switches are set to stop the'motorwhenever the water in the receiver has been discharged therefrom down iiito a predetermined level and when the-vac uum therein is up to normal. i I

Mounted adjacent the receiver an d, as a preference, on the top-thereof, is a pump a structure 3 which, in the preferred form of the invention, has a casing 4 in which a pump shaft, 5 is journaled .in suitable'bearing brackets, usually located at the ends of the casing; The pump shaft is arranged to be coupledto an electric motor (not shown) or r it may be driven from any other suitable source'of power, as desired. 7

l-Mounted upon the shaft are the impellers 6 and 7 of a water .pump8 and- .a vacuum pump 9,Wl1i0h may be of the types illustrated in the patent above referred to, or of any other conventional types of water and ivac-- uum pumps. The vacuum pump shown is of v the type-which employsmake-up water in its operation and it receives the make-up water 4 Yes from some part of the system. Supportedabove the pump casing 4 and, as a preference,

carried by the structure thereof is a tank or receptacle which contains a vacuum chamber 11 at one end, and "in some cases an air discharge chamber 12 at the other end separated from the vacuum chamber 11 by a partition 13. I A water pipe 14 leads from a place adjacent the bottom of the vacuum chamber ll to the inlet chamber 15 of the water pump 8, which pump discharges the water through its discharge end 16 into a pipe or other conduit (not shown) which leadsbackltothe 15 boiler or other place where it is desired to 1 deliver thewater. An airconduit ,17 leads from a place adjacent 'the'top of the vacuum chamber to the inlet chamber 18 0f the vacuum pump, which pump discharges the air to the atmosphere and preferably through a discharge conduit 19 into the air discharge chamber 1'2.- A, check 'va-lvefcontroll-ed' air inlet pipe 20 leads fromthe outside atmosphere to the air conduit 17- and a check valve atmosphere. 7 I I Leading from the receiver 1 toithe vacuum chamber 11 is a conduit 22 through which water of condensation, vapors, air and non- 'condensable gases are removed from the receiver as a result of the vacuum created in a the vacuum chamber 11 by the vacuum pump '9/ The conduit 22 is in the form of a pipe "25 between the pipes 22 and 24.. -Thetwo 54's pipes may be connected by suitable struts 26 *or'-,oth erwise as desired, and the upper and lower ends of said outer pipe 24 are spaced away from the 'topand bottom walls of the receiver so as to furnish inlet ports to the '60 interiorof the outerf'pipe 24. As a preference, the outer pipe projects below the inner pipe22 and permits the water contained in the receiver to flow into the inlet end of the pipe 22, whereas vapor, air andnon-condensable gasesflow into the upper end of the outer pipe 24 and are drawn down through the same and upthrough the pipe 22 as a result ofvacuum produced therein by the vacuum pump 9.

Operating in connection with theouter Y I pipe 24 is a valve 27 which is adapted to con-v trol the size. of -the water inlet and also to entirely close thesame; 'The valve 27 is mounted upon a valvestem28 which extends 335 up through the pipe 22 and is connected-to controlled air discharge pipe 21 leads from. theair discharge chamber 12 to the outer.

which'extends froma point adjacent the bottuate the sam'e,the elongated slot providing for a considerable amountof lost motion b etween the float stem and operated by a float mechanism, here shown in the form ofa ball float 29 mounted upon a float stem 30 pivotally mounted in the head or elbow 23 as at 31 and extending through an eye e32 carried by the upper end (0 of the valve stem 28; The valve stem is guid- 7 ed for-vertical movement in suitable guide 'members contained in and supportedby, the

pipe 22. It will be observed that so long as r the Water in the vacuum chamber 11 remains in V can discharge it therefrom and lifts the ball 'fioatito an abnormally high place, the pumping action of the vacuum pump. on the vacg9,"

uumchamber is stoppedandthevacuumpump is unloaded without reducing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber. To accomplish this,I 7 provide a double acting valve 33 for closing r the inlet opening34 from the vacuum chamher to the air conduit 17- and simultaneously opening a port 35 between the air'inlet pipe 20 and air conduit 17, which double acting valve is actuated by the float stem 30 which 7 controls the valve 27. The double acting 1.

valve 33, as a preference,comprises valves "36 andi37 mounted on the two ends of a valve stem'38 which is guided in the ports 34 and 35. A loop member 39, formed with an elongated slot'therein through. which the float e19 r stem30 extends, is provided upon the lower endof the double acting valve .33 and provides means whereby the float stem 30 may a cand double acting valve33. e The make-up water for the vacum pump 9 is furnished from the vacuum chamber 1.1 through a pipe 40 leading therefrom to the ini! let chamber 18 of the vacuum pump 9, and, inasmuch as some water is discharged by the vacuum pump along with the air, the air dischargechamber 12 is providedfor receiving this water where it may be stored until a considerable amount has beencollected. This 7 water is returned to the vacuum chamber through a port 41 formed in the partition 13 and controlled by a float valve 42. The float 43 of thisfloat valve is carried upon the end of a stem 44 which projects from the valve 42. W hen thewater rises to a predetermined passing up through the conduit 22.

ting the water to discharge from the chamber 12 into the vacuum chamber 11.

In the operation of the vacuum condensation pump, and assuming the pump motor to be in operation, the vacum pump 9 exhausts the air from the vacuum-chamber 11 through the air conduit 17 so long as the valve 36 remains open, and this condition continues until the float 29 is raised sufficiently to close this valve. The vacuum produced by the vacumpump extends to the conduit 22, the receiver 1 and the return pipes of the steam heating plant.

WVater in the receiver 1 flows into the conduit 22 through the water inlet opening at the bottom thereof and vapor, air and other noncondensable gases, which are collected in the upper portion of the receiver enter the upper end of the pipe 24 and flow down through the annular passages between the same and the conduit 22 entering the lower end of the conduit 22 and mixing with the water which is The vapors are condensed in the conduit by reason of their contact with the cooler water passing through the conduit, and by reason of their reduction in volume, a partial vacuum is caused in addition to the vacuum which is being produced by the vacuum pump.

The water, air and other noncondensable gases flow from the conduit 22 into the vacuum chamber 11 where they separate and the water is discharged therefrom through the conduit 14 by'the water pump 8, and delivered-back to the boiler or other place, and the air andnon-condensable gases are discharged from the vacuum chamber through the air conduit '17'by the vacuum pump 9 and discharged through the air discharge chamber 12 to the outer atmosphere through the outlet pipe 21. Any water which is discharged by the vacuum pump into the chamber 12 collects therein until the float 43 is raised sufficiently to open the valve 42, whereupon the water flows back into the vacuum chamber 11.

Under ordinary circumstances, the water ber slightly exceeds the capacity of the water pump, and, in such cases, the float 29 is raised accordingly, thereby closing the valve 27 more or less, as the case may be, and controlling the amount of water entering the conduit 22, so that the water pump may dis charge the water from the vacuum chamber as rapidly as it collects therein. In the event that the volume of water entering the vacuum chamber greatly exceeds the capacity of the water pump, the level of the water in the vacuum chamber rises sufliciently to lift the float 29 until the float stem 30 engages the upper end of the slot of the loop 39 and closesithe valve 36, simultaneously opening the valve37, 'thusclosing the port 34 between the vacuum chamber and thefair conduit 17 and opening the air inlet port 35 from the outside air to the air conduitf17, thus unloading the vacuum pump,-permitting it to run idly while the water pump continues to discharge water from the vacuum chamber; {"Under this condition, the :water pump rapidly discharges the water from" the:vacuum'chamber, and as the level of water therein lowers,;the float 29 falls,

thereby uncovering the water inlet at f the lower end of the pipe 24 more or less as the case may be and permitting water to flow vacuum chamber.

from the receiver through-the conduit to the As soon as the water pump discharges waterfrom the vacuum chamber fast enough to permit the float to approach its lower limit, the float stem 30 engages the lower end of the slot-in the loop 39, thereby drawing the double valve 33 down, closing'the outside air In the ideal operation of the water enters the 'conduit 22 and vacuum chamber -11 no faster than the water pump a,

can discharge it. 1 I It is tobe observed that bycondensing the condensabl'evapors before they reach the pumping means a; partial vacuum results y from such condensation of the vaporswhich aids the pump in withdrawing the condensates from the system, Furthermore, in the present instance, the Vapors are condensed by mixing the same with the water of condensation, thus eliminating the necessity for using additional water to effect the condensation of the vapors.

lclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent: Q

'1. Pumping apparatus comprising in com bination' a receiver for water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamber, a combined liquid and gas conduit leading fromsa'id receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a waterinlet and avapor and air inlet within the receiver,

a pump for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber, and a pump for discharging-water from saidvacuum chamber. a f v 2. Pumping apparatus comprising incombination a receiver for water, vapor and air,

a vacuum chamber, combined liquid and gas conduitconnectingsaid receiver with said vacuum chamber and having a water inlet and a vapor and air inlet within said receiver,

a. rotary pump for exhausting airfromsaid vacuum chamber whereby water," vapor and air flow from said receiver-tosaid vacuum chamber, and a pump for discharging water from said vacuum chamber.

vPumping apparatus comprising in combination arecelver for water, vapor and air,

'avacuum chamber, a combined liquid and gas conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and havingca water inlet and avapor and air inlet within the receiver, said vapor and air inlet leading to and discharging into the water inlet, a rotary pump for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber, iwhereby water, vapor and air flow from said receiver to said vacuum chamber'through said conduit, and a centrifugal pump for discharging water from said vacuum chamber.

4. Pumping apparatus comprising in c0mbination a receiver for water, vapor and. air,

a vacuum chamber, a'conduit connecting said receiver with said vacuum chamber and having a valve controlled water inlet and a vapor and air, inlet within the receiver, .a-centrifugal vacuumpump for exhausting airfrom c said vacuum chamber, whereby water, vapor and air flow from said receiverto said vacuum chamber, anda pump fordlscharg ng water from said vacuumchamber.

5. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for water,va-por and air, a vacuum-chamber, a combined liquid and gas conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a water inlet and a vapor and air-inlet within the receiver, said vapor and air inlet leading to and discharging into the water inlet, a centrifugal vacuum pump for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber, whereby water, vapor and air-,flowv-fromsaid receiver to said vacuum chamber, and a centrifugal water pump for discharging water from said vacuum chamber. 1 c

.6. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for Water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamber, a combined liquid and gas conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a water inlet and a vapor and air inlet within said receiver, 7 said vapor and air inlet leading to and discharging into the water inlet, a rotarygas 7 pump employing water for its pumpingac tion for exhausting'air from said vacuum chamber, whereby water, vapor and 'air flow from said receiver to said vacuum chamber through said conduit, and a pump for discharging water vfrom said vacuum chamber.

7. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for water, vapor and air, a

vacuum chamber, a combined liquid and gas conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a water inlet and a vapor and air inlet within said receiver,

' Vsaid vapor and air inlet leading to and dis-' charging into the water inlet, a rotary gas pump employing water for its. pumping action'for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber, whereby water, vapor and air flow from said receiver-to said vacuum chamber through said conduit, and a centrifugal water pump for discharging water from said vacuum chamber. 1 a

v 8. Pumping apparatus comprising in fcomf binat on a receiver 'for'water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamberthrough which water and air flow, a conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a water, inlet and a vapor and air lnlet'withln there-- ceiver, a float operated valve for controlling said water inlet to the conduit and controlled by the level of liquidin the vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump for exhausting air from the vacuum chamber, and a water pump for discharging water from the vacuum chamber.

,9. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a recelverfor water, vapor and air, a-vacuum chamber through which water and air flow, aconduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber andhaving a water inlet and a Vapor and air inlet within the receiver, a valve for controlling said water inlet'to the conduit, float mechanism for actuating said valve and having a float contained in said vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump for exhausting air from said vacuum chamber,

whereby water, vapor and air flow fromsaid receiver to said vacuum chamber through said conduit, and a water pump for dischargmg. water from said vacuum chamber.

10. Pumping apparatus comprising in I combination a receiver for water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamber,- a conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber combination a receiver for water, vapor and I air, a vacuum chamber, a conduit leading from sald receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a water inlet and a vapor and air inlet within said receiver, a vacuum pump, having an inlet port opening from said vacuum chamber, adapted 'to'create vacuum in said vacuum chamber, whereby water, vapor and air flowfrom said receiver to said vacuum chamber through said conduit, a

water pumpfor d schargingwater from said vacuum chamber, and float operated valves for controlling therwater inlet to the conduit, and the air inlet port to the vacuum pump and having a float control in said vacuum chamber. 7 i i p ,12. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for water,.vapor and air, a vacuum chamber, a conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum'chamber and having a Water inlet and avapor and air inlet Within said receiver, a vacuum pump, having an inlet port opening from said vacuum chamber, adapted to create vacuum therein, whereby water, vapor and air flow ber, and a valve operated by said float for a controlling the inlet port between the vacuum chamber and the vacuum pump.

13. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamber, a conduit leading from said receiver to said vacuum chamber and having a Water inlet and a vapor and ing a valve controlled water inlet and a vapor and air inlet Within the receiver for varying the proportions of water and vapor and air entering said conduit,

AUGUSTUS onunnnv, JR.

air inlet Within said receiver, a vacuum pump having an inlet passage provided with a port opening from said vacuum chamber and adapted to create vacuum therein, whereby Water, vapor and air flow from said receiver through said conduit to saidlvacuum chamber, said passage having also a port opening to the outer atmosphere, a Water pump for discharging water from said vacuum chamber, a float operated valve for controlling the Water inlet to said conduit, the float of said valve being contained in the vacuum chamber, and valve mechanism for controlling the passage of air from said vacuum chamber to the vacuum pump and from the outside air to the vacuum pump, said valve mechanism being operated by the float.

14. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for Water, vapor and air, a vacuum chamber, a conduit for Water, vapor and air leading from the bottom of the receiver to the vacuum chamber, a vapor and air inlet pipe of greater diameter than said conduit surrounding the latter Within the receiver and providing an annular passage around the conduit having a vapor and air inlet at the top and a ater inlet at the bottom, a float operated valve for controlling the Water inlet to said conduit, the float of Which is contained in the vacuum chamber,

a vacuum pump for exhausting air from the vacuum chamber, and a Water charging Water therefrom.

15. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for Water, vapor and pump for dis air, a pump for exhausting air from said re ceiver, a pump for discharging Water from said recelver, a conduit leading from said receiver to the inlets of said pumps, and

means for regulating the flow of Water to the a 7 water pump.

16. Pumping apparatus comprising in combination a receiver for water, vapor and air, pumping means, a conduit leading from said receiver to said pumping means and hav- 

